It is known and well established practice in mechanical workshops for those who are working upon a particular machine or vehicle to position themselves underneath the machine or vehicle so as to readily access the underside thereof. Known means of attaining access to the underside of a machine generally involve either raising the machine on a hoist or the like, or the workers locating themselves in an open workshop pit over which the machine is positioned.
Each of these means has inherent disadvantages in both practical and safety aspects. For example, in instances where a heavy machine is hoisted to a level above a worker, there is always a risk that the machine or part thereof may fall and injure the worker. Also, upon hoisting a machine so as to gain access to the underside, it is no longer possible to perform work upon upper regions of the machine without first lowering the machine. Clearly, this can lead to inefficiency and lost production time.
With respect to the use of a workshop pit for positioning workers underneath a machine, there is a disadvantage in that the workers are often unable to adequately position themselves at a level that permits easy and comfortable access to the part of the machine that is being worked upon at that time. This is not only inconvenient, but also may lead to an increased possibility for injury, due to for example, the worker hitting their head on an underhanging part of the machine that is being worked upon, or falling from a stool that has been used to position the worker closer to the part being worked upon. Further, there is often a need for workers to climb out of the pit for the purpose of retrieving tools or equipment for the job at hand. This is not only inefficient in terms of time, but may also be difficult in those instances where relatively heavy or cumbersome equipment is required. Further safety issues may arise with respect to the use of a pit in a workshop floor, primarily being the need to barricade or otherwise safely cover the pit when not in use.
The present invention attempts to overcome at least in part the aforementioned disadvantages of previous means of accessing an underside of machinery and vehicles.